Category: 2024 Steelers Schedule

Steelers fans outraged over ’10-day stretch of doom’ from Weeks 15-17

The Pittsburgh Steelers face a grueling 10-day stretch against top teams, leaving fans to voice their frustrations on social media.

From the seemingly apparent Hard Knocks impact that led NFL schedule makers to pack the Pittsburgh Steelers’ latter half with divisional games, to scheduling three Super Bowl contenders between December 15th and December 25th, fans of the Black and Gold have had enough.

It appears the NFL never expected the 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers to boast such a dominant record heading into Week 15. Otherwise, it makes little sense to seemingly handicap a potential Super Bowl contender by forcing them to play three games in just 10 days.

Facing the 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles on the road is challenging enough, but following that with a matchup against the 8-5 Baltimore Ravens, with divisional supremacy at stake, and the AFC-leading 12-1 Kansas City Chiefs feels nearly impossible to classify as fair.

To make matters worse, one of the Steelers’ top players, WR George Pickens, is battling a hamstring injury that could sideline him for the entirety of this brutal stretch. Steelers fans are understandably and justifiably upset, and here are some of their most passionate reactions on social media.

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Najee Harris clueless about Steelers ‘hella funny’ schedule

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is the definition of locked-in, an embodiment of the singular game approach.  

Every coach, every player will tell you they’re all about one game at a time — focused on only the forthcoming opponent. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is the definition of locked-in, an embodiment of the singular game approach.

When asked by a reporter how the Steelers remain focused, knowing they have a brutal schedule of three games in 10 days, Harris wasn’t aware of which team was next beyond Philly.

“We play Chiefs [in Week 16], right?”

“Baltimore.”

“We play Baltimore after the Eagles?”

Harris looked surprised.

“That’s hella funny,” he said, stepping back, after the Steelers remaining opponents were read to him.

“Like I said, we play the Eagles next.”

@slightedgesports Najee Harris didn’t even know who his playing in the upcoming weeks😭 #najeeharris#nfl#steelers#eagles ♬ original sound – Slight Edge Sports 🥇


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Steelers DT welcomes the challenge tough six-game stretch brings

The Steelers face a challenging six-game stretch, but Cam Heyward’s leadership offers a steady focus on improvement and perseverance.

Competition breeds excellence! Within this final six-game stretch to end the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Cincinnati Bengals’ explosive offense twice, three fearsome Super Bowl contenders in the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles, as well as the Cleveland Browns, who already defeated Pittsburgh once this season. However, Steelers DT Cam Heyward offers an interesting perspective on how the team should handle the troubling schedule realization.

During Wednesday’s media availability leading up to the Week 13 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals, Heyward stated, “I think when you look at our schedule, you know you can’t change anything. You can’t cry about it. I think you look at it as who’s next on the list and how can we improve from our last performance.”

As a veteran presence and leader in the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room, Heyward checked all the right boxes you’d want in a proper rallying speech heading into this tough six-game stretch.

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CBS Sports predicts Steelers to win 4 out of 6 remaining games in 2024

CBS Sports predicts the Steelers will finish 12-5 after a dramatic six-game stretch, keeping fans hopeful for a strong AFC finish.

After a heartbreaking loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, much of the NFL world seems to have quickly given up belief in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ aspirations for the 2024 season. However, a recent prediction for the Steelers’ remaining six games by CBS Sports offers a glimmer of hope for the Black and Gold.

In an article written by Bryan DeArdo, the CBS Sports author predicts that Pittsburgh will finish the 2024 season with a record of 12-5.

The journey to get there, however, is an up-and-down roller coaster of heartbreak and hope, starting with a two-game winning streak, predicted by DeArdo, in Weeks 13 and 14 against the Bengals and Browns.

DeArdo then predicts the Steelers will lose two games consecutively to the Eagles and Ravens in Weeks 15 and 16.

Just when fans would have given up hope for the Pittsburgh Steelers, CBS Sports predicts the team will defeat the Chiefs and Bengals in Weeks 17 and 18 to finish with an impressive 12-5 record in 2024.

While it’s unlikely the team can win out during this six-game stretch, here’s to remaining hopeful for a potential number one seed atop the AFC conference.

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Where do Steelers currently stand in race for playoffs?

As the 2024 NFL season heads into its final stretch, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in the thick of the AFC playoff race.

As the 2024 NFL season heads into its final stretch, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in the thick of the AFC playoff race. Through Week 10, the Steelers stand firmly as the No. 3 seed in the AFC. If the playoffs were today, Pittsburgh would face the L.A. Chargers, a team they defeated 20-10 in Week 3.

Led by a resurgent defense anchored by T.J. Watt and a developing offense, the Steelers have demonstrated their ability to grind out tough wins, relying on a mix of veteran leadership and young talent.

We all know the Steelers’ defense has what it takes to win playoff games. The offense remains a work in progress, but the sky is the limit with the veteran leadership of Russell Wilson and his connection with George Pickens to generate big plays.

Najee Harris, playing like we’ve never seen before, is on pace for a career season. And despite injuries to key players, the offensive line has improved as the season progressed. This balanced approach has allowed the Steelers to maintain control in close games, a crucial factor in their playoff push.

The upcoming four-game stretch — all AFC North matchups — will define Pittsburgh’s season.


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Steelers have toughest remaining Week 10-18 schedule, per PFF

According to Pro Football Focus, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL from Weeks 10 to 18.

After acquiring WR Mike Williams from the New York Jets and OLB Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers at the trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers quickly shift their focus back onto their postseason aspirations.  Pittsburgh needed all the help it could get, however, as the team heads into what is shaping up to be an extremely difficult second half of the 2024 season.

Most Pittsburgh fans would shudder at the idea of hearing that their team would need to go head-to-head with what seems like five playoff contenders in nine weeks, and it appears the infamous and always polarizing Pro Football Focus would agree with them.

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PFF is correct in their assessment, as with nine tough matchups remaining, the Steelers will face the 7-2 Washington Commanders, the 6-3 Baltimore Ravens twice, the 4-5 Cincinnati Bengals twice, the 2-7 Cleveland Browns twice, the 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles, and the undefeated 8-0 Kansas City Chiefs.

Can the newly upgraded Pittsburgh Steelers succeed in taking on this seemingly impossible second half gauntlet, or will the team come crashing back down to reality after an impressive first half start to the 2024 season?

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Steelers president Art Rooney II says what we’re all thinking about 2024 schedule

In May, the NFL handed down the toughest schedule of the upcoming season to the Steelers. 

In May, the NFL handed down the toughest schedule of the upcoming season to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not only do the Steelers start the 2024 regular season with three of their first four opponents on the road, but the second half of the season is one of the most brutal in the NFL.

It’s a backloaded schedule, featuring no AFC North matchups during the first eight weeks until two back-to-back divisional showdowns against the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and, again, Cleveland. Pittsburgh takes on the Philadelphia Eagles, Ravens and reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs before closing out the regular season with Cincinnati in Week 18.

It sounds like something cooked up for a particularly juicy in-season “Hard Knocks.”

Steelers President Art Rooney said what we’re all thinking during an in-game broadcast booth interview with Charlie Batch and Bob Pompeani. “It’s not how I would’ve drawn it up if it was up to me.”

That’s putting it politely.

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Steelers schedule: Everything you need to know to prepare for 2024 season

This schedule is the Steelers’ pathway to what they hope is their first playoff win since handling the Dolphins and Chiefs in 2016.

We’re 23 days away from the start of Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 training camp in Latrobe. More than just the excitement of hearing about how the new offense is working, rookies are looking, is that camp signals the regular season is right around the corner.

Barring a game or two being flexed, this schedule is the Steelers’ pathway to what they hope is their first playoff win since handling the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs in 2016.

Complete Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 schedule

Preseason

  • Friday, Aug. 9: Home vs. Houston Texans, 7 p.m.
  • Sat., Aug. 17: Home vs. Buffalo Bills, 7 p.m.
  • Sat., Aug. 24: Away vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.

Regular season

  • Sun., Sept. 8: Away vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Sept. 15: Away vs. Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m.
  • Sun., Sept. 22: Home vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Sept. 29: Away vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Oct. 6: Home vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m.
  • Sun., Oct. 13: Away vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m.
  • Sun., Oct. 20: Home vs. New York Jets, 8:20 p.m.
  • Mon., Oct. 28: Home vs. New York Giants, 8:15 p.m.
  • Sun., Oct. 27: BYE WEEK
  • Sun., Nov. 10: Away at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Nov. 17: Home vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.
  • Thurs., Nov. 21: Away vs. Cleveland Browns, 8:15 p.m.
  • Sun., Dec. 1: Away vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Dec. 8: Home vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Dec. 15: Away vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m.
  • Sat., Dec. 21: Away vs. Baltimore Ravens, 4:30 p.m.
  • Wed., Dec. 25: Home vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.
  • Sat., Jan. 4 or Sun., Jan. 5: Home vs. Cincinnati Bengals, TBD

How many times are the Pittsburgh Steelers scheduled for prime-time?

The Steelers were granted four nationally televised prime-time games on the initial schedule, not counting Week 18. Later in the season, their games could potentially be flexed to Thursday, Sunday, or Monday night.

The games the Steelers are currently scheduled on prime-time are:

  • Sun., Oct. 6: Home vs. the Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m., NBC/Peacock
  • Sun., Oct. 20: Home vs. the New York Jets, 8:20 p.m., NBC/Peacock
  • Mon., Oct. 28: Home vs. New York Giants, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
  • Thurs., Nov. 21: Away vs. Cleveland Browns, 8:15 p.m., Prime

What Pittsburgh Steelers games are eligible to be flexed to/from prime time?

A tweet from independent NFL reporter René Bugner breaks down all NFL prime-time games with flex potential. The Steelers have just two games that could be flexed from their current spots: Week 5, home versus the Dallas Cowboys and Week 7, hosting the New York Jets.

The NFL doesn’t flex Monday Night Football matchups until starting Week 12, so there’s no threat to their Week 8 game versus the New York Giants being bumped.

Similarly, flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football starts Week 13, keeping Pittsburgh’s Week 12 game against Cleveland in its current slot.

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Did the NFL load the Steelers schedule intentionally for ‘Hard Knocks’?

The Steelers have a brutal stretch run this season, and it will all be televised on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”

I am not a conspiracy theory guy, but sometimes things just don’t add up. When the NFL released the regular-season schedule, we were puzzled about why the league decided to backload it so much for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers play all six of their AFC North matchups in the final eight games with showdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles thrown in for good measure.

Crazy, right?

Maybe not. Maybe it was all a plan. HBO is doing something unprecedented with their “Hard Knocks” docuseries as they will feature all of the AFC North, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the in-season version of the show. It begins on Dec. 3 and runs through the end of the season.

Why does this matter? This will mean the series will show the Steelers during the final five games of the season, which includes one game against each of Pittsburgh’s division foes, and those two games against the Eagles and Chiefs.

Was this all orchestrated so HBO gets one of the most popular teams in the NFL during what could be a spiral after a strong start? These shows are all about ratings, and it feels like a behind-the-scenes look at a struggling Steelers team would translate to huge viewership.

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Steelers President Art Rooney II clearly disappointed in 2024 schedule

Art Rooney II didn’t seem very enthusiastic about the Steelers’ chances with this year’s schedule.

Even before the schedule was laid out, the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the toughest slates of games in the entire NFL. Then the official schedules came out and the way the league broke down the games, it made the challenge even harder.

This was a sentiment team President Art Rooney II shared rather subtly when he spoke to Steelers reporter Missi Matthews shortly after the schedule announcement.

“Not exactly how I would have drawn it up, but we’ve got to do the best we can,” Rooney said.

The Steelers face an incredible amount of hurdles on this schedule, including having all six AFC North matchups in the final eight games. A brutal three-game stretch in 10 days in December follows three prime-time games in four weeks in October.

Mike Tomlin is headed into his 18th season as the Steelers head coach and he’s never had a losing season. There’s no denying this schedule puts that streak in serious jeopardy.

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